Thursday, July 29, 2010

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Nineteen years ago. It's hard to believe it has been that long. I had just met Sweetie that July, and we began seriously dating in August. I had spent that summer, among other things, working at the Georgia Shakespeare Festival, and when the season wrapped, all of us costume people met for lunch. I remember the place was call "Lettuce Souprise You." Jeesh.

All the table chatter was about a new TV show coming to town, and how everyone there seemed to be trying to get their fax number out in Los Angeles in order to get hired. Me? I had work, and I just blew the whole hullaballoo off.

Fast forward to a few weeks later, to when I got a phone call from Tracy, the wardrobe mistress from I'll Fly Away, the new television series. Tracy said that she had been calling around Atlanta looking for someone to do stitching for the show, and my name kept coming up as the person she needed to talk to, and would I come and interview for the position?

It was just about this time of year, hot and sweltering, and Sweetie and I had lunch at Moe's and Joe's in Virginia-Highlands, just before I was to go out to the soundstage west of town and meet with the costume designer about the job. Sweetie asked me if I was nervous, and I replied honestly that no, I wasn't nervous a bit. Why should I be?

I got the job and worked for Tom McKinley, the designer, at I'll Fly Away for two seasons, and also on the wrap-up movie filmed after the show was cancelled. Can I say? Sam Waterston was always polite and professional, as were many others in the cast. Not everyone, though. (ahem) Tom recommended me to other designers when they came to work in Atlanta, and therefore, I worked on several movies.

That's where I made my money, and I quit the business when I needed to. Maybe I'll write that story later. Oh, and the movies I worked on? Some cable, some made-for-TV, and mostly straight-to-dvd.

Here I am, nineteen years later, sewing again. Although, trust me, this kite gig will be more than just sewing. Am I nervous? Not one little bit.

2 comments:

Yes! Besides sewing, I will also learn to cut the pieces using a hot knife, then there is the packaging and shipping, and I want to inventory the entire workshop and get it organized again. Might even do some design and marketing. I think a little bat kite would be neat.